David Lyle Takes the Reins at Nat Geo

NEW YORK: World Screen Newsflash catches up with David Lyle, a veteran of the global content business, who was last week named as the new CEO of National Geographic Channels U.S. and global programming.

This January, National Geographic Channel in the U.S. celebrated its tenth anniversary. Since its launch in 2001, the service, a joint venture between National Geographic and Fox Cable Networks, has grown its reach to 71 million homes. The channel, which went HD in January 2006, has also spun off additional brands: Nat Geo WILD, the all-wildlife network that launched last year, and Nat Geo Mundo, specifically focused on the Hispanic segment, which rolled out just last month.

As the new CEO of National Geographic Channels U.S. and of global programming, Lyle is looking to see continued ratings gains for the flagship network by remaining focused on the high quality, compelling material that the brand is known for. (Indeed, when the News & Documentary Awards nominations were announced last month, National Geographic Channel dominated among the pure-play factual networks with a total of 15.)

"We’re looking for those big exciting stand-out series that have characters and that strong connection between the viewers and the people in the shows," says Lyle, who will be working closely with Steve Schiffman, the president of National Geographic Channels, on the content strategy for the U.S. portfolio.

In the case of Nat Geo WILD, the focus will be on continuing the ratings and distribution momentum built since the channel’s launch last year in place of Fox Reality Channel. "It’s now above 50 million homes, which has been a nice growth. It did start in Asia all those years ago and it’s one of the rare cases in the U.S. where a cable channel has been imported from the rest of the world. Mostly the flow is the other way—the U.S. brands go outside."

Another example of the content flow going the other way is at Nat Geo Mundo, which is importing a lot of programming from the Nat Geo Channel in Latin America, such as Don’t Tell My Mother. "The National Geographic channels in Latin America are extremely strong," says Lyle. "They produce a lot of their own material as well as take the best of the U.S.-generated material."

Finding content that will travel well across borders is key to Lyle’s global programming responsibilities. Indeed, it’s a role that Lyle is suited to, given his background in the international format business, with posts at Nine Network, FremantleMedia North America, Fox Reality Channel and, most recently, FOX Look. Until his promotion last week, Lyle had spent the last few months as the head of West Coast development at NGC.

"My first responsibilities are to generate the sort of shows that will travel, and they are the shows that are hits in the United States. At the same time, there’s that flow of ideas that comes from the international channels back here so that we’re mindful of what is working for them and what subgenres are doing the most business. We do that not only so that we can provide material that’s suitable for them, but you’re really getting international intel. I’ve worked the international scene a lot, I believe that there are lessons you can learn from TV all around the world."

Lyle notes that NGC employs a variety of methods, from straight commissions to acquisitions to international co-productions, to find content that will fit in with the values that people associate with the Nat Geo brand. "We’re looking for all sorts of producers to come to us with big ideas and, quite frankly, ideas that maybe they wouldn’t have thought of taking to National Geographic Channel and then let us see how we can use this and treat it in a way that is true to the brand but [also] exciting, modern, contemporary storytelling."

Asked about what attracted him to the doc world after so many years in the reality and factual-entertainment spaces, Lyle responds, "It’s funny, I’ve done everything—game shows, talk shows, awards shows, gardening shows, travel shows—and certainly what I find is that the way you engage an audience and tell a story is not that different from one subgenre to the next."

He adds, "My first career was as a geologist and geophysicist so I feel like I’ve closed the circle. I do have a pet project that I will do everyone the decency of not pitching, which is the geological history of Australia. It has been suggested to me [that it be] called Rock of Ages, but I will do the right thing and keep it well in the bottom of the bottom drawer!"